It Went To Voicemail
by Shaladaze
Summary: A series of voice messages left behind on Chat Noirs phone by Ladybug herself! Too bad he can't hear them. *Originally posted on Archive of our own* (The Angst is light! Not SUPER heavy! one mention of suicidal thoughts, a panic attack or 2)
1. 1 New Message

"Hey, Chat! Where are you?!"

The sound of crashing can be heard.

"I could really use your help right about now! GAH!"

A loud slam followed by erratic panting, "Come on Kitty! Please pick up!"

More panting and the whoosh of something whizzing by, "Oh I hope you get here soon."

The line goes dead.

1 New Voice Message Saved 11:30 Am


	2. 2 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use.

* * *

"Hey! Where are you? You totally missed out on that last fight!" There's a huff filled with anger as the feminine voice pauses.

A heavy sigh, "I know you won't answer. Sorry, I lost my temper a little there. People could have gotten hurt during that last attack and it's been awhile since I've had to fight without you."

A longer pause, "I hope you're alright. Call me when you can, I'll try to be out later tonight."

A click, signaling the end of the call.

2 New Voice Messages Saved 12:00 PM


	3. 3 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Hey, Chat. It's me again. But you know that already…" a heavy sigh.

"Ok, look. I know you weren't around yesterday or night but I'm kinda worried about you not responding to me. It's… not normal."

A long pause.

"My Kwami said I was overreacting but… I don't know it just doesn't feel the same. As much as I want to be right I also really don't want to be."

The wind blows past the mic, creating a staticy sound, it dies down shortly after.

"I should, probably hang up now. People might see me and try to flag me down for an interview."

Another pause, "Please be ok."

3 New Voice Messages 7:46 AM


	4. 4 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"I know I've called you before now but- WA! There's another Akuma! Incase you didn't see it on the news!"

There's a low rumble followed by an easily cackle, "I'm not sure what his deal is yet but I could always use your help!"

The line goes silent for a minute before the voice from before speaks in a whisper, "Oh, it must be in that mirror. Ok, I'm going to try something wish me luck."

Once more the line is silent before shouts are heard.

"Give me your miraculous!"

"Never! You'll have to pull a hood over my eyes first!"

Whooshing of wind and the sounds of glass breaking.

"Hold still you pest!"

The whooshing goes quiet suddenly, "Why would I do that?"

Something shatters in the background and the female's voice speaks loud, "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" A soft thump, "What? A plastic mirror? But she already has one?"

A moment's of silence pass before a shrill voice rings out, "FOUND YOU!"

The smirk is audible in the voice from before, "Yes you did! Say CHEESE!"

A shout of surprise is heard before a loud crunching noise.

"There! No more evil doing for you little akuma." A series of swishes are heard before a soft voice speaks, "Bye, bye little butterfly."

A moment passes before there's a gasp, "Oh no! I totally left the call on!"

4 New Voice Messages 3:12 PM


	5. 5 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

Quiet overtakes the speaker, soft breathing can be heard signaling that there was someone there but they weren't speaking, "I tried not to call today but… obviously I couldn't make it." The slight laughter in the voice is sad.

"I don't know if you know this or not from my last messages but I've had to fight two akuma in the past 3 days without you."

"...here's hoping there's not another one tonight." The humor is missing from the joke.

"Ugh, I sound so depressed! You're probably fine! And when you hear all these messages you'll just make fun of me like, 'Oh hey purrincess I heard you were worried about me! That's so sweet of you!' Or something cheesy like that…" silence once more.

"Yeah, you're probably fine."

5 New Voice Messages 11:57 PM


	6. 6 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Ok. I know it's like super early in the morning but I'm worried! I'll admit it! I know no one else is really worried but for now no one is talking about how you have gone missing and I don't want to bring it up to someone and have them asking questions…"

A crinkling of paper is heard, "I should be asleep. I'll… I'll call back later."

6 New Voice Messages 4:02 AM


	7. 7 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"There's another akuma! I don't really have time to leave a message so I'll keep it short. I'm getting Rena Rouge to help me with this one. If you show up great!"

7 New Voice Messages 12:45 PM


	8. 8 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

The girl on the other end sounds exhausted, "That last akuma sucked. Everyone started to ask me questions about you once it was over and I just ran away instead. It doesn't help that Rena cornered me to interrogate me either."

"I'm tired. Staying up late was a bad idea. On top of that, Hawkmoth has been more active recently… hmm I wonder why…"

A sharp gasp, "He doesn't have you does he?! No! No." A deep breath, "I would know if Hawkmoth caught you. You're safe. He is just taking advantage on an opportunity! Yeah!"

A long silence, "I hope he doesn't have you…"

The next words are a whisper, "Please, stay safe Chat."

8 New Voice Messages 1:21 PM


	9. 9 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"UGH! They don't know anything! You didn't abandon me!" The shouting on the device is cracky, like it can't handle the volume.

"YOU WOULD NEVER ABANDON ME! THEY'RE JUST RUNNING YOUR NAME THROUGH THE MUD LIKE USED CAT LITTER! BECAUSE THEY'RE A BUNCH OF-"

A huffing silence followed, the anger slightly dissipated after the outburst.

"The only one that isn't joining in on the slander is the Lady Blog. Alya keeps discrediting other sources and shutting down haters and I can't thank her enough."

"Don't worry, when you get back, we'll fix this. They will leave you alone once we talk about it."

9 New Voice Messages 2:45 PM


	10. 10 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"I decided I'm going to uh…" the Voice is uncertain, "Mention how long you've been gone in the messages… it's been…" There's a pause, they must be thinking about it, "5 days? Since you went missing?" It's said like a question.

"Anyway, uh. I can't really go back and hear the messages I left but… I know you can."

"People are saying you're playing a joke. Or even that you abandoned me. One person came up with this crazy theory that you teleported to the future!" Nervous laughter fills the empty space left by her words.

"I… I'll look for you tonight. You can't just be gone without a trace."

There's a moment of silence, as if the person is debating on saying more. They don't.

10 New Voice Messages 6:00 PM


	11. 11 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Day 6, Ugh that sounds weird. Anyway, I didn't see you last night. Obviously… I've started carrying the phone around with me all the time instead of keeping it in a safe place. I know that's super irresponsible but… I can't miss it if you call me back."

There's distant laughter of children somewhere near by, "I… had a thought… and I really don't want to think about it but if I don't get it off my chest I might lose my mind but… what if…"

The soft voice goes quiet again, the background noise seeming to still as she speaks once more, "What if you're dead?"

A long silence passes, the laughter resuming but the voice does not. Maybe their lost in their thoughts.

"Hmm, if I keep this up I'll be akumatized for sure. Then where will we be?" The girl is still quiet, any joy her sentence should have is non existent.

"Bye."

11 New Voice Messages Saved 8:42 AM


	12. 12 new Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"I think I might have found out who you are under the mask and honestly I'm kind of mad about it."

The girl on the other end sounds exasperated, "I won't say anything, over the phone or in person but now that I know… I'm even more worried. No one has heard from you in a week. Oh, and it's been 7 days Kitty."

A sigh, "I had this feeling that I might be fighting someone today, and that would really suck considering it's a Saturday but you can't win them all can you?" The teasing returns, if muted.

"Hmm, yeah that sounds like a good idea. I'll say what day it is and how long you've been gone. Why didn't I think of that before?" There's a shifting noise, possibly moving their head, "Doesn't matter. I'm going to patrol. Flag me down if you see me."

12 New Voice Messages 11:51 AM


	13. 13 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

Soft hiccups are heard, almost inaudible, "I… Chat I can't… someone almost died. The akuma, they never made a sound. It just-hic happened."

The voice sounds wet, like a frog had crawled into the back of their throat, "I got hurt trying to save them and I don't know how I'm going to hide this."

A sob escapes, louder than the soft hitches in their voice, "It hurts. My miraculous didn't fix it, not that I'm surprised. Hic- Chat I won't even be mad, please come back."

The crying continues for a moment, sometimes muffled with the occasional sob, but it stays silent, like their afraid of being found.

"I never could do this without you. I've always thought about how hard it would be to do all of this alone and I was right."

A soft whoosh is heard followed by a louder gasping noise.

A high pitched voice starts speaking frantically, "Mar- You're still on the phone? Ladybug! I'm so sorry, I just don't have the energy to keep up the transformation anymore!"

The girl is panting in pain now, "It's fine Tikki. I have food in my bag. You should eat."

"But-"

"I'm fine. Eat."

Silence follows but its short lived as another gasp filled with pain cuts through it. A pitiful whine is followed.

"I'm so sorry." The higher pitched voice sounds closer to the phone now.

"Hic- I told you it's fine." A sharp inhale, "I just didn't expect it to hurt so much"

"The miraculous can only dull the pain so much, and while you will heal faster than most normal humans, it will still hurt more out of the costume."

The panting is heavy, filled with exhaustion and pain.

"We'll find him. I promise."

The two fall into quiet, though the panting can still be heard. They don't make noise for a few moments before the high pitched voice speaks softly.

"Ladybug, you should hang up the phone."

There's a hum of confusion though not much else.

"The phone. You are still on a call for Chat Noir."

Another hum, though this one is fainter.

"Ladybug?"

…

"LADYBUG! WAKE UP! DON'T FALL ASLEEP! WITH THAT INJURY-!"

There's a grogginess to the voice, "Wha? Sorry, Tikki. I'm just so tired."

"Ladybug, sit up! I ate the cookie! Please transform! We have to get you to the master! He can help you! Please sit up!"

"I'm awake, I'm up. Calm down, Tikki."

There's a shifting noise followed by a loud clatter.

"Oops."

"Please transform, the adrenalin should be enough to get you to the masters safely!"

"Ok, ok. Miraculous Ladybug."

There's a moment of silence, "Um… your transformation is 'Tikki, spots on.' And please hang up the phone."

"Oh, right. Tikki, spots on."

There's a whooshing noise, the device must have been dropped again.

"Wow. Ok, that doesn't feel good. Where is that stu-their it is."

13 New Voice Messages 4:32 PM


	14. 14 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

To answer something from last chapter and make sure everyone is aware. i have only seen what is on netflix for this show. thank you.

* * *

"Day 8." There's a loud groan from the voice.

"Ugh. I feel sick. Just wanted to let you know I'm alive but it's not fun."

The higher pitched voice from the last message speaks, "You should be resting. That phone is supposed to be for emergencies."

A shifting noise, "Yeah, I know. But with the last one I left I have to do something"

A heavy sigh, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Silence passes for a moment.

"I'm still not sure how I'm going to hide this injury but master Fu helped a lot. He suggested bedrest and since today is Sunday I might do just that."

"I believe you should rest too! Maybe you can tell your parents you're sick?"

There's a soft hum of thought, "It would work since I really do feel sick. Hopefully I get better by tomorrow. Can't miss school."

Another moment of silence, "Thanks Tikki."

"Anytime Ladybug."

Confusion laced the girl, "Why did you call me Ladybug?"

"B-because you're still on the phone?" The concern is thick in the high pitched voice.

"Oh. Right."

14 New Voice Messages 8:09 AM


	15. 15 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"I'm convinced I'm cursed and Hawkmoth knows it."

The girl grunts loudly with a hiss closely followed, "Hawkmoth is attacking again and I just can't keep up with this injury."

There's a thud, "I'm trying to find Rena Ruge and Carapace, possibly even Queen Bee because I'm not going to be able to do much like this."

"Please Chat. If you see me, civilian or hero costume. Please tell me."

15 New Voice Messages 1:20 PM


	16. 16 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"I…" the sudden shout is unexpected and cut off just as quickly as it had started.

A deep exhale can be heard, this time they sound calmer, "Master Fu had your miraculous…"

Quiet echoes loudly over the device, "He didn't tell me the first time I was there but he's had If for a while… it's still Sunday by the way."

A higher voice speaks softly, "He had his reasons for not telling you…"

This seems to make the girl snap, "HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME AS SOON AS HE COULD!"

The loud silence returns, "What's worse is Plagg can't come out and talk to us…"

"Kwami can't be out for very long if our miraculous isn't being worn. The amount of energy it would have taken to bring it back to the master safely means he needs to rest."

The girl growles, "I know that! I'm not mad at Plagg! He didn't do anything wrong! I'm mad at master Fu for hiding this from me!"

"I know you're upset but please… Ladybug, I need you to stay as positive as possible." The higher voice sounds cautious.

"I know. I know. Miraculous holders aren't immune to being akumatized either." A weary sigh passes over the mic.

A calm quiet settles over the pair on the other side of the phone. It lasts for quite some time before the call ends.

16 New Voice Messages 3:00 PM


	17. 17 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Monday, day 9. I think there's a pattern to when Hawkmoth is attacking. Last week there were attacks on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. If this repeats this week I don't know if I'll be able to handle it."

There's a hiss on the other end, "Ugh. Just fought another akuma. It wasn't too hard today but it would have been easier if I wasn't still in pain."

There's a moment of silence.

"My Kwami is asleep in my bag. Honestly she deserves it with how much she has been working."

…

"She told me she doesn't think this is healthy. Leaving messages on your phone all the time…"

"Master Fu told me I should choose another person to temporarily replace you… because it would be suspicious if you just disappeared."

The girl sounds resigned, "I won't be able to work with anyone else though… on top of that, I can't just replace you…"

Silence passes again.

"I-I might not have a choice in my next fight though and… I hope you won't hate me for it…"

"I-... I won't stop looking for you. No matter what."

17 New Voice Messages 2:49 PM


	18. 18 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Wednesday, day 11" the girl on the other end is whispering softly.

"I… I didn't call yesterday because I got super busy with school and then there was one this morning… Sadly, I think I'm right and Hawkmoth is attacking in a pattern. His akuma are getting weaker though so I think the strain of using his miraculous is finally getting to him."

There's a shuffle noise but it stays quiet, "It's getting to me too. Luckily I have had the other three to loosen the strain and…"

A sigh, "I had to pick someone to be Chat for a little while. Plagg wasn't happy but I had no choice. If this keeps going I'm going to pass out in class."

She's quiet for a moment, "Tikki is talking to master Fu and Plagg right now, so I'm at school alone."

Hesitance can be heard in her next words, "I-I almost told Rena who I was. I feel really bad but I-... I didn't do it though. I figured the only one allowed to know was you."

"If I'm right, I'll be able to rest tomorrow and the day after."

A distant voice is yelling hardly heard over the speaker, it sounds like a name.

"I'll call later."

18 New Voice Messages 11:39 AM


	19. 19 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Day 12, Thursday. This is starting to feel more like a battle report or something." The small laugh that follows is hollow.

"I'm so tired today. Between looking for you and fighting Hawkmoth I feel like I'm being run into the ground."

Another voice can be heard now, though it sounds distant, "Ladybug! Can we get a few words for the people of Paris about why Chat Noir was missing for a week?! Did he leave you alone on purpose or-"

The words are cut off as a whizzing sound is heard, small grunts of effort accompanying the sound. Soon a soft thud and the slight breeze past the mic.

"Oh yeah, and the news reporters. I need to stop getting so close to the ground. These people are relentless."

"Anyway, I should… probably go. Bye Chat."

19 New Voice Messages 10:40 AM


	20. 20 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Day 13, it's a Friday. So far everything's checking out. No attacks." There's a shuffling noise in the background.

"A lot of schools added a required class to all their schedules." More shuffling, "Ok, it's not really a class. You don't get a grade or anything but it's required now because the mayor said so. It's kind of like a therapy class, you go and learn how to control anger and stuff like that."

A small thud is heard followed by a grunt, "Ugh, anyway, I know it's been helping a lot of students since the stress is so high. It also helps those who can't pay for separate therapy or make it to an appointment. It's actually a really good idea and I'm surprised it took this long for the idea to be suggested."

The voice moves away from the speaker, "Tikki will you hand me that? Thanks."

"I just wanted to keep you updated, you know? In case you haven't seen anything."

A loud shout followed by some choice words in French can be heard just before a loud thud.

The rest is abruptly cut off.

20 New Voice Messages 4:07 PM


	21. 21 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

"Day 14, Saturday. Faught an angry cat Akuma? I'm not sure what that was about but it sucked. I'm feeling better now, my injury is mostly gone and I don't think it'll scar so no evidence!" She goes quiet for a moment.

"I've taken to mostly being on rooftops or higher, being closer to the ground is dangerous. Too many people asking questions."

She takes a deep breath, as if preparing for the rest, "I am having a really hard time working with this… temporary Chat Noir and the rest of them too. I just can't work with them like I work with you. We get into arguments in the middle of fights, they don't listen to me when I have a plan, they do their own thing without asking me first. I can't. I won't. I-"

Her frustration dies as she takes another calming breath, "I think I'll just work alone for a while. If things get desperate then I'll ask for help but if I think I can do it alone then I will."

"I'm sorry I keep calling you, I just… don't have anyone else to talk to."

"I'll call you again later."

21 New Voice Messages 11:47 AM


	22. 22 New Messages

This is also on Archive of Our Own if that format is better to use. (I also update more regularly there)

* * *

"Sorry, it's late. Same day as the last call…"

There's a long pause, "Have…"

She sniffs a sudden choked noise in her voice, "Have you ever wondered if falling from the top of the Eiffel Tower would actually hurt us? Or if it felt anything like flying?"

There's a sort of distance to her voice, not saying that it was far from the speaker but as if she wasn't all there, "I've… thought about it. But then I remember you, and I can't. Won't."

"I honestly have been a little surprised I haven't seen an Akuma come for me since all of this started. I've been feeling pretty down lately but… I don't know. I won't read into it and just could myself lucky."

She goes silent, a slight breeze can be heard in the background.

"I might have found a clue as to where you are. And I REALLY hope I'm wrong. I just. I can't imagine- not after…"

She hisses our her next breath, "I'm going to investigate tomorrow. You might not get a call from me for a while. I would go now but… I need to sleep. I'm so tired."

"Good night Chat."

1 New Voice Message 12:06 PM


	23. 23 New Messages

"D-Day 15-" the sound is cut off by a short but soft cry, "M-Monday."

"Chat. I'm so-so sorry! If I had known! Guh! Why didn't I trust my instincts? I knew and then I didn't but he was- this whole time!"

Her cries are muffled, as if her hand went to cover her own mouth, "How could you ever forgive me? I let this happen."

Her cries gets softer once again before a loud gasp is torn from her, "NO! I will not let this happen right now! Leave me alone!"

A zipping sound is heard followed by loud whooshing, a thud is heard before her voice says loudly, "You caught me at the wrong time!"

A few moments pass in silence before she's sobbing loudly into the device once more, "I can't get a break can I? What should I do?"

She sniffs, "I have to tell someone but who? I can't tell Lu-Chat, I can't tell Rena, I can't tell Cara, I'm definitely not telling Bee. I… I have to have SOMEONE I can tell…"

A long moment of silence passes before a soft whimper echos over the speaker, "I… I don't have anyone I can tell… no one to trust… not with something like this."

"I will get you back." Her voice sounds determined, is shaky, "I won't let this keep going."

Suddenly her tone is dark, "No matter what the cost."

2 New Voice Messages 2:14 AM


	24. Investigation

This is where it gets wild, I'm going to catch you up on all the chapters you're missing out on.

* * *

Ladybug looks down at the ring in her hand. It's black metal shines in the dim lighting of the moon, bringing memories of her partner to the front of her mind. How could she had been so stupid as to think that Hawkmoth wouldn't akumatize himself to get them off his back she didn't know but now wasn't the time.

She was doing this mission alone. She couldn't ask any of her friends to help her with this, especially after the last two weeks. She puts the ring in a safe spot before swinging closer to her destination. The Agreste mansion.

She lands softly, not wanting anyone to notice her, mentally going over her plan once more. It was not going to be an easy job. She just hoped she wouldn't have to hurt anyone.

Peaking over the edge of the roof, she scans at the dark windows of the large home for movement. She only knew of 4 people who lived in this place but she was only after one of them.

Once she is satisfied that no one is around, she swings down to the windows that span a whole room. If she remembers correctly, and she does, this is Adrien's room. She walks the edge of the windows, pushing and pulling gently to see if one of them will open. To her surprise though she isn't as surprised as she should be, one of them opens.

Looking into the room, now that the glass is out of the way, she checks once more for a figure she so desperately wants to be there. But just like the last time she had checked, it's empty.

Exhaling a little sadly she drops down to the floor while pulling the window closed behind her. No reason to leave evidence. As she looks back and forth she can't help but feel anxious. She was sneaking in, alone, to her arch nemesis house, to find his son. Perfect.

She moves across the room with a practiced stealth. Honestly she felt more lonely than anything. She hadn't realized just how much she relied on Chat since they became partners. Looking at the floor she notes that the lights are off in the main hall as well.

Turning the knob slowly, she peeks out into the empty hallway, half expecting to see Hawkmoth staring her in the face. This is not the case though, since the hall is empty. A cold shiver goes down her spine, this House was giving her goosebumps with how lifeless it felt. It was more like how she thought a prison would feel than a home.

It's definitely a prison now.

Moving into the hall she closes the door just as quietly behind her. If she remembered correctly, the study was down stairs somewhere. Walking over to the railing, she leaps over it to land on the ground floor. Trying to remember where she's been before she moves to the door on her right since the one on her left was open, showing the dining room. This room's door was shut but she remembered that one being the same room she had snuck into on Adrien's birthday.

She takes a deep breath, Hawkmoth could be behind that door and she wouldn't know it until it's too late. Steadying her mind, she lays one hand on her yo-yo and the other on the door handle. Opening it felt more nerve wracking than sneaking in and she opens tons of doors!

Peaking in she waits a few seconds before opening it more, pausing once she could see in. She repeats this process until her head sticks through the door into the empty room. Taking a few steps in she lets her guard drop.

"This is too easy." The whisper of words is out of her mouth before she can stop them, but when nothing happens she almost wants something to happen so she won't be so on edge anymore.

Walking around the room, she tries to find any sort of switch or secret passage. So far there was nothing at the secretary desk or near the door. Looking to the painting on the wall she moves closer to it, maybe there was something behind it?

Pulling lightly at the edges she's surprised when it swings to reveal a large shelf, holding various items.

"The book!" Leaning forward she notes that the miraculous book is one of the many things stashed away but no button.

Frowning she closes it and looks at the only thing left in the room. The podium. It stands at a higher that's a little tall for her short stature. Standing right in front of it she runs her hands over it hoping for something to happen. A sudden lurch upward has her stumbling and gripping the pole of the stand to keep steady. The ground under her feet moving upward along with the pole.

Holding tight she lowers her sense of gravity, pulling her weapon off her hip. If this was a trap she had to be ready for it. A hole opens in the ceiling and she braces for the worst as she's plunged into a dark room.


	25. Found

The room is pitch black. No light to guide her if she were to move. So instead she plants herself. Looking around for something to give away what's around her. A soft shifting to her left has her spinning her yo-yo to protects her Incase it's an attack. It sends bright flashing red lights around the room causing a figure to cast a shadow to the side of her. They yelp in surprise and in a moment she is lunging at them.

They fall heavily on the floor with a thud, Ladybug keeping them firmly on the floor. They groan loudly from where they had landed.

"Ugh."

Jumping back and off of them she whisper shouts, "Chat?!"

Their breath catches, "Ladybug?"

She lunges forward again, this time to hug the figure she can't see, "Oh my gosh, Chat! I'm so sorry I thought you were Hawkmoth!"

He shushes her, his hand fumbling for her face to cover her mouth, "Shhh!"

She sits back trying to force her eyes to learn how to see in the dark, it doesn't work. She waits quietly as he stays silent.

With a sigh of relief, "I don't know how you go here but if he finds out you're here, we're both in trouble."

His voice is quiet, almost inaudible, the fear lacing it is unmistakable, "Chat, what is going on?"

She can feel him shift slightly so he's sitting next to her, "It's… a long story. For later, we don't have time for that. How did you get in? My-Hawkmoth has the best security for this room, I haven't found a way out."

She notices his slip, but she keeps that tucked away, "I have a plan for that. We have to get out of here."

She pulls his ring from where she had stashed it and makes a grab for his hand, it takes a few tries but she finally finds his shoulder and finds it from there. She places the ring in his palm, "Here, you'll need this."

The surprise in his voice hurts her heart, "You brought this with you?"

She nods her head only to remember they can't see, "Yes."

He pauses for a moment before, "That means you know-"

She covers his mouth quickly, luckily not missing but from the grunt she must have hit him pretty hard, "Shhh. Later. For now put that on. We need to leave."

She stands, trying to remember where the middle of the room was from where she had jumped to but stops when a hand lands on her thigh.

"I-... I can't."

She looks back in his direction with shock, "What do you mean you can't?"

He pulls her down to his level again, finding her hand and giving the ring back, "I can't Bugaboo."

A deep sadness sets in, she thought he would want to be saved why wouldn't he… "Did he threaten you or something? Come on, you know we can take him. Please we have to-"

Her plees are cut off, "We can't. I can't. I won't. Just… leave without me. I'm sure you can defeat him without my help. You just need to give someone else the ring."

"Chat?"

She cringes at how small her voice sounds, she has no idea how he reacts but it takes him longer to reply.

"Please. Just leave while you still can."

Something inside her breaks. She had felt so lost without him by her side and now that she has a chance to get him back, he's turning her away.

She tries to keep the tears at bay, "I… I can't do this without you. There isn't another Chat, there can't be."

He rests a hand on hers, "You haven't tried-"

"I have!" Her words cut her deep but she keeps going, "I was forced to pick another Chat during one of the akuma attacks. People were trapped and none of us had the power to save them. I had to give someone else the ring and I hated it. I hated them. I didn't want them to be Chat, I made sure they knew it was only temporary and I knew that but even after it was over I hated having to give the ring to someone else. There is no one else."

The silence that stretches on after that has her saying the words she kept locked away these past two weeks, "I won't be Ladybug if you're not Chat Noir. I don't mean it as a threat, but a promise. I can't save Paris without you."

A moment passes before he's gripping her hand hard, a small choked noise leaving him, "Bugaboo-" he sniffs hard, "I… you don't understand. This is all my fault."

Confusion sweeps over her, "What do you mean?"

He shifts a little, his other hand grabbing onto her shoulder, "Hawkmoth… he's… everything he's ever done, it's-it's my fault. I should have known but I didn't, I just ran away and left him all alone I-"

She cuts him off, "Chat what are you talking about? How could this be your fault?"

His head makes contact with her shoulder, she notices he's crying when the tears soak her suit, "Hawkmoth is my father Bugaboo."

This isn't new knowledge to her, her hands wrap around the crying boy in a hug, her next words are quiet, "...I know Adrien…"

He lets out a sob, his body shaking and she can't help but reevaluate her plan. She had thought he would jump at the chance to stop Hawkmoth even if he knew it was his father but she was wrong.

"I left him alone. To go play hero while he was suffering. Everything he's ever done has been my fault. He's like this because of me."

Something in his words makes a few alarm bells go off in her head, "It's not your fault. You didn't try to hurt him."

"But I did!" His shout startles her, he's never yelled at her like that before, "It's my fault! Can't you see?!"

She isn't lost on the irony. He's pulled away from her and if they weren't touching knees she wouldn't know he was there. A sudden noise that isn't them startles her. Looking around frantically she sees a hole opening in the floor.

Adrien panics, he grabs her arm and pushes her into a corner where she sees a bed sitting. He pushes her down behind it and hurriedly sitting on top of the bed in a fetal position. She stays where he had shoved her, quiet as she waits.

The room lights up suddenly and it has her blinking her eyes hard.

"Adrien? Why are you yelling?"

Her skin bristles at his voice, she's never liked Mr. Agrest much but now it was just pure hatred.

Adrien moves on the bed, she can't see anything from where she is hidden.

"I-I had a nightmare. I'm sorry I woke you."

The man sighs heavily, silence is loud, but the clickin of shoes makes it louder, "I apologize. I didn't realize you still had them and that was an awful oversight on my part."

The bed shifts and she assumes he's sitting on the bed.

"What was the nightmare about?"

Adrien is silent for a moment before speaking, "It doesn't matter, I'm sorry to have bothered you."

More alarm bells go off in her head but she doesn't move.

"Adrien, you know you can talk to me."

Another moment passes in silence.

"Is it because of the room?"

She's frustrated that she can't see what's happening as their quiet once more. It wasn't normal for Adrien to be so quiet, especially now that she knows he's Chat.

"You know I only keep you here to keep you safe."

More silence passes before the man speaks again.

"I'll get you a nightlight, it will help. I know your used to having a large window in your room so it should have the same effect."

Adrien makes a small agreeing noise and the bed shifts once more.

"I'll bring it in tomorrow. For now rest."

The room goes silent once more as the man disappears from the room. Ladybug doesn't move until Adrien is helping her up from the floor. This time the lights are on and she gets a full view of what he looks like. The bags under his eyes and the very obvious tears hurt her heart.

"I'm sorry."

She reals back at his words, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

His face turns guilty and it makes him look older than he actually is, "Look I-"

She holds up a hand, silencing him. She couldn't take another apology from him, "Don't."

The sadness that makes his shoulders sag makes her want to cry, "Chat."

At the name he looks back up at her, surprised.

"Do you want the ring back or not."

His head starts to shake and she speaks again, "Do. You. Want. It. Back."

He pauses, looking away before nodding his head.

She nods her own, "Thank you."

The surprise on his face confuses her but she speaks anyway, "For being honest."

Understanding replaces the confusion and she keeps talking now that she knows he is listening.

"Chat Noir. I will keep the ring of destruction protected for you as long as it's not in your hands. I, Ladybug, promise that nothing bad will happen to Plagg as long as I'm around to say something about it. I trust you to contact me if you are ready to receive it once more."

He stands straight, the serious look on his face reminding her that this was indeed still her kitty, "Thank you."

She nods her head to him, a momentary sadness takes over her and she can't help herself as she lunges forward and hugs him, "I won't leave you here for long Kitty."

He hugs her back just as tight. They stand there for a moment before they both pull away reluctantly.

"You should go."

She nods at his words, moving silently back to the entrance. It takes her a moment but she figures out how to get it to lower. Sneaking out is as easy as following her path in, but it hurts her more than entering did.

She doesn't get much sleep for the rest of the night.


	26. Threats

Marinette sits at her desk, not even bothering to pretend to pay attention. Honestly, the whole class is in a similar state of depression and while normally she would do her best to cheer everyone up, she just wasn't feeling it.

She looks at where her extra phone she kept with her was sewn into her bag, she knew she was being careless with keeping it on her all the time but she didn't have the heart to let it go.

Tikki's words from a few days ago float to the surface again, "Marinette, you know that phone is strictly for you and Chat Noir to be able to call each other in an emergency. Master Fu would be upset if you lost it because you weren't taking care of it."

She shakes her head, she knows perfectly well what it's for but ever since Chat had gone missing she hasn't left it at home even once. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Alya slide something over to her. Glancing at it, she checks to make sure the teacher hadn't seen before taking it and opening it.

'You good?'

She mentally rolls her options around in her head as she reaches for her pencil. She feels her hand tap it and moves her hand to grab it only for the thing to clatter on the floor. A few people glance at her but they immediately go back to what they were doing. Rolling her eyes at the stupid object she leans over to pick it up. Looking back at the page, pencil in hand she writes 'as much as I can be' before sliding it back. It wasn't a lie, she wasn't great but she wasn't awful like she was yesterday.

Alya leaves her alone for the rest of class.

Lunch comes and Marinette makes a break for the bathroom. She has done this everyday since Chat disappeared. She finds an empty stall and walks in, reaching into her purse she digs around to find the hidden pocket. Tikki floats next to her, her concern clear on her face but she doesn't say anything. Finally finding it she slips out the phone and checks it. Nothing.

Sighing heavily she tucks it back into her bag and waits for Tikki to hide back inside before walking out. She splashed water on her face before grabbing a towel.

She ignores the door opening and pulls out her concealer, the bags under her eyes were aggressive and it almost felt like nothing worked anymore.

"You look like a mess as usual."

The dark haired girl cringes at the voice, because she just can't get a break can she, "Hello, Lila."

Said girl hasn't been nearly as let down as everyone else has been. It's probably her hate for Ladybug that's been putting her in a good mood, since the hero has been so upset.

"You know trying to hide your pimples should be done at home right?"

She rolls her eyes and continues what she was doing. It was the same with all their interactions. With Adrien not here to occupy her attention Lila had pointed all her focus on making Marinette's life miserable, it was only sort of working.

"No one cares what you look like since their top visit worrying about my sweet Adrien. So why bother covering it up if no one will give you the light of day?" The girl is closer now.

Finishing with her task, she puts away her concealer. Checking one last time that she looks at least semi-presentable before trying to walk past the brown haired student. Emphasis on try.

As she moves to walk past her the girl side steps directly into her path. Effectively bringing them face to face, "Ugh, you look even worse up close. Why not just wipe it away so at least it doesn't look like your trying so hard."

Effectively done with her, Marinette takes a single step back and stares her down with her eyes, she was done, "Lila."

The girl seems surprised but doesn't move.

"If you don't move out of my way I will report you for verbal abuse and blackmail. To the police, not the principal. I will get a restraining order on you, and I will not hesitate to claim that you have cornered me in the bathroom on multiple occasions and harassed me." She stands tall, unwavering at her statement. She meant every single word.

Lila looks almost appalled at the idea, like Marinette had personally offended her, "And why would you do something like that to the nicest person in the school? I'm loved by everyone here. Who would possibly believe you?"

Shrugging a shoulder, she steps around the girl, "It doesn't matter if they believe me. The police will launch a full investigation on you. That will include your home life, social media, and your school attendance. Which if you don't remember is almost non-existent. I might be late most of the time to my classes, but at least I'm consistent."

She walks out without looking back. At this point, she just didn't care about Lila. People were constantly trying to say things about her and the people around her to manipulate them. Whether it be Chloe, Lila, the mayor, even Hawkmoth tries to manipulate them. It makes it no different from politics.

Walking down to the lunch room, she quickly gets her food and finds a place to sit in the back. She knew that what she had just done would come back to bite her in the form of her friends making her eat alone, she was used to it. Because Lila didn't hide her fake sorrow about Adrien missing like she did.

Just as she suspected the girl came flying in with tears in her eyes and a tale about how Marinette had cornered her in the bathroom. Expertly ignoring the rest, as well as the stares she could feel in her back, she pulls out her homework for that night and starts it. It's not like she'll be doing anything else.

After a while, Nathan joins her at the table, it had become a sort of routine between them. He never believed Lila because she was always bad mouthing his crush, and while Marinette knew he only sat next to her because of it she was grateful anyway.

He stays silent, pulling out his own project to work on and doing both like she did. They would talk occasionally to ask each other questions but with her mood always so down he took the hint and kept their interactions soft.

By the time lunch was over, the rest of the class effectively hated her again and her homework was finished. She figured, with how patterns go, she would be ignoring any and all looks while trying to pretend to pay attention to the teachers.

Finally, finally, classes are over and she makes a B-line for home. She doesn't bother stopping to wait for her friends or trying to stay after for any reason. All that matters is that she come up with a plan to somehow convince Adrien to leave his father. Or maybe just on how to take Hawkmoth down without her partner. Or maybe she should give her miraculous to someone else, give them all the information they would need and send them to take down Hawkmoth.

She shakes her head as she crosses the street, that was a bad plan. Bad Marinette. Take down Hawkmoth. That's the goal. Nothing else.

She enters through the back door of the shop and sneaks upstairs without greeting her parents, with how she looked, she was bound to distract them from work and she just didn't feel like talking to them.

Once she makes it to her room, she finally notices her phone ringing. Hope shooting through her bones she dives into her bag, making Tikki fly out in a panic, till she finds the device that's ringing. Her mood drops again when she sees it's just her normal phone. Alya's smiling face taunting her.

Dropping the device on her desk, she ignores it in favor of finding the emergency phone. She knew he wouldn't answer but…

She taps his name and waits for the ringing to stop, "Hello, Bugaboo! Sorry, I missed ya! Please leave a lovely message for me to listen to later as I would love to hear your voice at any time of day."

It beeps and she takes a deep breath, "It's Tuesday. Day 16. I mostly called because I miss hearing your voice. I know it hasn't been that long but…"

She pauses as she tries to think of what to say. It was getting harder and harder to find words as her own silence rang over the speaker of the phone in her hands.

"I miss you. I will find a way to help you. Even if I have to do it alone."

With no other ideas she hangs up and immediately calls again. It rings and she waits for the last beep, then she puts it on speaker.

"Hello, Bugaboo! Sorry, I missed ya! Please leave a lovely message for me to listen to later as I would love to hear your voice at any time of day."

She hangs up before the last beep and repeats the process. This was what Tikki kept telling her was unhealthy. It wasn't just the fact she kept leaving messages, it was what she did after the messages.

By the time she stops, tears are running down her face in thick streams. She stays quiet though, she had learned to cry quietly after coming home one too many times with an injury and a close call with her parents.

Rubbing her face she sets the device down on its charger before pulling out a pen and paper to start writing out her plan. Just before she could write anything though, the trap door swings open with a slam. Nerves on high alert, she grabs the phone off of her desk and puts it in her back pocket before getting into a ready stance.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! You have the nerve to ignore all of my phone calls and messages when I know for a fact your home?!" Alya's eyes scan the room, a quiet anger burning in her eyes.

Marinette forces her body out of a fighting stance and waits till her friends eyes find her, the anger dies only slightly.

"You! Have no right! To go taking your frustration out on other people! I know you're upset about Adrien, but to attack Lila without any reason whatsoever is uncalled for!"

The dark haired girl just watches as her friend freaks out, it was new, to be yelled at like this. Sure, she's been yelled at by others for much the same thing, but to get such a strong response from her own best friends. The tears from earlier are dry, and she can't find anymore to give.

She lets her shoulders slump, they were hardly friends anymore, "So you're just going to assume that Lila was right?"

The other girl puts a hand on her waist and points a finger at her, Marinette interrupts her.

"You didn't even ask my side of the story."

The anger doubles in her friend's stance.

"What kind of reporter only gets one side of the story?"

The jab is clear as her friend reals back, "That was uncalled for!"

Marinette continues, "Oh wait. Most reporters only get one side of the story." She can see how upset her friend is, if she keeps this up she would effectively lose a friend, "They only get the side of the story that's interesting."

Her friend looks effectively taken aback, a hand over her chest, "How could you?! You know your just proving Lila right? You did attack her didn't you!"

That last part wasn't a question. No longer able to look at her friend, she sits down in her chair, "You still don't know my side of the story."

She hears a loud huff, the next words adding fuel to the fire, "I don't need to. You've just proven Lila right."

She hears the other stomping down the stairs only to pause, "I can't believe this is the type of person you really are."

Marinette waits till her steps fade, the front door slamming shut to signal her exit out of the house. She sits there, waiting for tears to come, but nothing happens. She then glances around her room to see if maybe a butterfly had come in, but still nothing. Since it was Tuesday, maybe she wouldn't have to fight her friend again.

Tikki floats into her vision, her face unreadable, "Marinette?"

Said girl sighs, she had nothing to say. That was bad. On a normal day, that would have created an Akuma right in her room, or even before that. Another one would have been her fault.

"Marinette."

She looks back up at the small Kwami.

"Would you like to go out?"

Surprised, she gives her Kwami a hopeful look, "Would that really be ok?"

Tikki nods and Marinette gives her a small smile before holding out a hand, "Do you think we should visit master Fu?"

The Kwami shakes her head, "Nope. Just you and the miraculous. If Hawkmoth has the same attack pattern as he's had these past two weeks, you should have a free day!"

Smiling wider at her small companion she nods her head, "I had the same thought. Ok, if you're absolutely sure."

Tikki nods and Marinette stands up, kicking the trap door closed before shouting, "TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

The adrenaline that rushes through her makes her sadness seem secondary. She leaps out of her trap door and lunges out over the city. Swinging with no real destination in mind, she ignores all the shouts that reach her since none of them are asking for help.

After awhile she does an extravagant flip onto the Arc de Triomphe. Landing with a grace she hasn't felt in a while. She looks around at her surroundings, trying to figure out if she wants to stop here or keep going. The view from up here was so nice, she felt just a little bit more relaxed than before.

Walking to the edge she's about to jump off when a particularly excited shout catches her attention. Normally, she wouldn't be able to hear anyone from up here but a single glance down tells her exactly why she could hear it.

A small speck of yellow is moving around, she thinks they might be waving their hands but she can't tell. Taking a moment she debates the pros and cons of talking to Chloe right now. On one hand, it would bring a ton of attention to her, on the other, Chloe was the only one she wasn't currently having issues with.

Decision made, she drops down to the ground next to the girl with a smile she doesn't feel, "What's up?"

Instead of saying anything, she simply hands her a piece of paper, and walks away.

Confused, she looks down at it. Her name is scrawled across with beautiful calligraphy, a small Ladybug is glittering ink sitting just next to it. Looking closer she notices it's a letter not a paper, though it's kind of the same thing.

Shrugging she swings off from the crowd that had started to gather and finds somewhere quiet to read it. Opening it she finds the inside written in gold.

'To whom it may concern,

Meet me at my secret hideout. We need to talk."

-Bee'

She smiles a little at the bumble bee that's drawn next to the extravagant signature. Really, all of this just to talk to her.

Swinging out once more, a destination in mind, she tries to think about what she would want to talk about. It could be anything from an autograph to begging her for the miraculous but she couldn't put a pin in any of them. With Chloe it could really be anything.


	27. Yellow like Daffodils

Landing on the roof of Chloe's home, she walks down the short staircase to see no one there yet. She wasn't really surprised, with her superpowers and all.

She walks over to the chairs tucked away in the corner and sits down in one. She looks out over the city, calm despite her inner turmoil. She just had to clear her head before thinking about her life outside the mask.

She has no idea how long she sits there before the rooftop door opens, revealing the yellow teen in all her glory. She saunters over with her signature smile.

"Hey Ladybug! You came!"

Marinette smiles back and moves to stand.

Chloe waves her hand at her, "No! No. Stay seated. We did need to talk after all."

Relaxing back into the chair she waits till the other girl is sitting before talking, "So what did you want to talk about?"

Chloe's face falls slightly, her smile going thin, "W-well I." She takes a second to compose herself, "As you know, I've been the reason for a lot of the Akuma's. Like, a lot of them." She leans forward over the table to emphasis her words, "And I've been trying really hard to change that."

Marinette tried to think of the last Akuma that was directly affected by Chloe and it takes her a minute to remember that the last one was about a week ago.

She continues, "But first of all. It's really hard. Second of all, this kind of has nothing to do with what I wanted to talk to you about." She pauses and waits for some kind of response.

Ladybug rests a hand on Chloe's interlaced fingers, "You can ask me anything. I know you have been trying really hard recently and I'm thankful for that."

Chloe smiles before seeming to deflate, "There's this girl in my class. She's being bullied by everyone because of some stupid rumors that were spread about her. I know their lies because I was there when she was cornered in the bathroom."

Marinette tenses, Chloe was there? Where could she have been hiding? She was sure that the bathroom was empty.

"The girl stood up for herself and I was super impressed because she doesn't really have a backbone." She pauses here her shoulders lifting in a confidence that doesn't reach her eyes, "But this other girl turned the situation around and no one believes the one who actually got bullied."

Marinette tried to calm her racing heart enough to force out, "Why are you telling me this?"

The yellow girl looks at her from the corner of her eye, "Well, you see this girl and I don't really get along. I fought with her, a lot, and now I'm not sure how to approach her. I kinda get how she feels, one of our classmates went missing recently and aside from me," she gestures to herself with a flourish, "She's the only one who's pulling her hair out because of stress now that he's gone."

Marinette watches Chloe with slight awe in her eyes. This girl who had been nothing but a pain in her neck since the beginning, was trying to find a way to help HER out.

Chloe seems to remember something her anger slinking momentarily, "Besides, I know what it's like to be all alone. I know what I did to her was bad, I know I need to fix things but I don't know how. Asking for forgiveness has never been easy for me. And it's not like her friends were ever really her friends anyway, not with how they threw her to the curb the moment someone more interesting came along."

The statement stings enough that the pigtailed hero physically jerks back.

Chloe snaps her head around to look at her, "Um, Ladybug?"

She schools her expression the best he can, "Sorry, I was just so surprised by what you said."

The blonde nods her head, "Yeah, I know it's not a nice thing to say but it's the truth. Everyone walks all over her and I thought that all of her spats with me would have given her some sort of…" She waves her hand around in circles, "Ugh, backbone, but it didn't. She's only like that around me and now it's a problem because I don't know how to fix it. What do I do?"

Marinette tried to think past her own bias enough to respond in a way that won't reveal who she is. On one hand, Chloe was right, she really only acted like that around her but on the other she really thought that Chloe was actually trying to figure out how to help.

"Chloe, I think if you really want to, and I mean, really, want to. You should try to talk to this girl about what's going on. Be honest with her, but listen to what she has to say as well. The only way to truly fix things is if you're both on the same page of the same book. Understand where she is coming from and go from there." She smiles despite how much her next words ache, "Communication is the first step to fixing a relationship."

Chloe nods her head, sitting quietly with her hands in her lap. She doesn't say anything for a moment before she finally whispers, "Thank you, Ladybug."

Marinette smiles and stands up, patting Chloe's shoulder before turning to leave.

Chloe's hand latches onto hers, "Wait! Do you really think it will work? Even if she hates me?"

Light blue eyes stare into darker blue, Worry etched deep into one while the other was trying to hold in tears. Finally Marinette leans down and hugs Chloe, "I think if you make your best effort, then anything is worth a try." She pulls back after Chloe hugs her, "Besides, maybe you will make a new friend."

Smiling brightly she pulls away completely and walks to the edge of the roof, with a final wave she swings away. Back to her own home so she can think about how today had gone.


	28. 28 New Messages

"Hey Kitty. It's Friday, day 19, or I guess it's Saturday, which makes it day 20."

A loud yawn is heard over the speaker, "Ugh, Sorry. Can't sleep. Might just stay up and do something productive."

There's a small clatter, "Sorry, I was only going to listen to the Voicemail message but it beeped when I wasn't paying attention."

A thud, "Oof, ok, I'm just going to hang up. Night."

4 New Voice Messages 4:29 AM


	29. Sleepy

Marinette walks to school with her head down. The occasional trip not stopping her short walk across the street. She passes behind Alya's back without stopping, figuring it would be best not to see her until later. She moves mostly in a haze, not really paying attention to anything except to avoid people.

Once she finally reaches her destination she sags a little. Finally paying attention once more she looks around the library. She is only here for a few minutes till the bell rings but it's nice not to see too many people. She sits at an empty table out of view of the door and waits.

This wasn't how she liked to spend her mornings. She preferred to talk with her friends or even be early to class, but with the nerves from all the Akuma fights and her friends being upset with her, she didn't want to do anything else.

Tikki peaks out from her bag, a sad look in her eyes, "Are you going to talk to your friends about what happened?"

Marinette shakes her head, "No, I'm just going to stay here until the bell rings. Maybe I can sit in the back of the class to avoid Alya."

Tikki frowns deeply, "You can't avoid them forever."

"I know," she sighs, "I just don't want to have to deal with the angry looks right now. Everyone is convinced I'm the bad guy because of Lyla, I don't see a reason to try and fight it when it would just prove her right."

Tikki pokes out of her bag, "But that's wrong Marinette! You shouldn't be avoiding the problem, especially if it's hurting you."

Looking around Marinette gently pushes the kwami back into the bag, "It's not permanent. Besides, I might have to be ready for Chloe today and I'm not sure if I can handle it right now."

Tikki heaves a sigh much too big for her size, "Ok. But promise me you'll try talking to them?"

The blunette lets her shoulders fall, "I… ok. I promise to try talking to them at least once today."

The kwami smiles, "Thank you."

The bell rings and Marinette is off like a rocket. Ignoring any and all shouts as she makes her way to the classroom. She sneaks by a few of her classmates unseen and easily slides into the empty back seats in the corner. If she made herself small maybe no one would see her. For good measure, she lays her head down on the desk and sinks low in the chair.

Familiar voices fill the room, gradually getting louder as more students enter. On second thought, maybe she should just go home. If she wasn't here, then she wouldn't have to worry, but then Tikki would be mad. But if she went home she could make a plan to save Chat, but she might miss something important in class. What if an akuma DOES come today? Then she wouldn't be ready for it!

A yawn escapes her lips, she hadn't been able to sleep. Can't really sleep anymore. Her parents had noticed her eye bags and suggested a doctor or sleeping medicine but with her secret heroin job she had to refuse everything. If things were different, she definitely would have done it.

Someone clears their throat behind her but she ignores it. People did that all the time.

When it happens again, she realizes they were probably trying to get her attention. Turning her head over slowly, she looks up and tries not to squint when bright yellow assaults her eyes.

Chloe makes a face but quickly wipes it away. She gestures to the seat next to her, "Is this spot taken?"

The words slug their way through her brain, was the seat taken? No, these desk chairs were too heavy to lift. After a moment it clicks in her head and she pats the spot, "Oh, nope. It's unoccupied."

The blonde sits awkwardly, glancing this way and that. Finally, her eyes settle on something or someone and she sits up straighter, suddenly looking the part of a queen. Too tired to care Marinette just turns her head to get comfortable again, maybe laying down was a bad idea since it just made her realize how tired she was.

Ever so slowly, but faster than it had last night, sleep drags her back into its embrace, keeping her company as everything else fades away.

She wakes up later to gentle shaking, she doesn't want to get up but the touch has her snapping her head up like a box spring. Looking around wildly to see if there was an attack or something. Her eyes finally focus on their teacher, who stands next to her desk with a look of concern.

When she talks, it's softly, "Marinette, are you alright? You've slept through most of my class without moving a muscle."

She rubs her eyes fiercely, enough that she hopes it will make the blush on her face look like it's from that rather than embarrassment. Sadly, her words are just as slow and tired as she is, "I'm sorry Miss Bustier. I was napping in the work yesterday and haven't been home working at the bakery to swing a sleep in."

A few heads turn to look at her, ranging in concern to just straight up confused. Chloe places a hand on her own forehead, "Do you have any idea what you're saying?"

Marinette gives the blonde a confused look, "Yes?"

"Are you sure?"

"Not anymore."

Their teacher places a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, "Marinette, would you like to go home?"

Said blunette shakes her head, "No. I can't leave yet. That's for later when I can go looking for… that… thing?" The word won't come to mind.

Miss Bustier nods her head, "If you insist. Try to get more sleep tonight." Then she walks back to the front of the class.

Marinette keeps her eyes open long enough to see people turn away before letting her head drop to the desk. She was thankful when it made contact with the wood.

The next time she wakes up, it's to an alarm blaring in her ear. She jumps up, standing with her hand on her bag, nerves strung high as she looks around. Her classmates watch her in varying stages of packing their bags and it takes her a minute to understand that class was over.

Slumping heavily she takes a calming breath and tries to remember what class she had next. She thinks her next one was the akuma recovery class, that wasn't its name but she couldn't for the life of her remember the actual one. Luckily, she only shares that class with Max and Marc.

She walks down the stairs only to be stopped by a hand sticking a book in her face, her book to be exact.

"Um, you forgot something." The exasperation makes her look to the blonde holding said book.

"Oh. Thanks." She takes it wordlessly and starts walking again.

Chloe walks next to her, "Meet me outside during lunch."

She nods, a yawn interrupting the action and she rubs her face. A vague thought of needing to fix her concealer at lunch has her looking at her hand to see the damage. When her hand comes away clean she shrugs before entering into where she thinks her class is.

She has a hard time staying awake as the psychiatrist tries to work them through breathing exercises and helping those few who still needed help finding a good outlet. The teacher had tried to approach her about how tired she was but couldn't get any coherent words out of her.

By the time lunch rolls around, Marinette feels like an akuma attack would be better than having to pretend to be awake. She walks to the bathroom by habit only to stop when she sees Chloe by the entrance. Distantly remembering that they had talked but not why, she walks over to her.

"'Ey Chloe? We talked but I don't remember."

The blonde gives her a critical once over, for the first time in a while Sabrina isn't with her, "You look like a mess."

Marinette looks down at her outfit. She was still wearing her signature outfit but upon closer inspection, her jacket was inside out and she was wearing two different kinds of shoes.

"Oh, oops." She takes off her jacket and turns it right side out and takes a second to decide what to do about her shoes before shrugging, couldn't do anything about it here.

"That's not what I- oh whatever. Look we need to talk but I can't talk to you when you're like this."

She shrugs, "Why not? You talk to me when I have the same shoe on."

Chloe rolls her eyes before pulling out her compact, then proceeds to shove it in her face, "No, you look ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! I can barely stand to look at you!"

Marinette looks in the small mirror before taking it. Her pigtails are loose, and hanging at odd angles, pieces of blue sticking out, and a bit of fabric fluff from her project stuck in her hair, "Oh, guess I forgot about my hair this morning." She hands the compact back before pulling a brush out of her bag. When she starts brushing her hair Chloe rips it out of her hand with a look of irritation.

"Chloe wha-?"

"You didn't even take out your pigtails! Ugh!" She turns the blunette around and shoved her towards the locker room. Once she is sat down, Chloe begins to get to work. Taking out her hair ties and fixing her disheveled hair into something nicer.

"Utterly ridiculous."

The brushing motions calm her, making her remember that exhaustion once more. Slowly she closes her eyes, figuring they don't need to be open. A sharp tug makes them open again but she ignores it and the ones that follow in favor of dozing off.

Finally the motions stop, "Ugh! Ok. This is the best I can do with you nodding off like that. It's not what you normally do but whatever."

Standing with a wobble, Marinette takes her brush back and puts it away, "Thanks, I should go eat someone." With that, she turns and walks out of the room.

Chloe catches up to her again, "You can hardly stand up straight and you're trying to go to the lunch room?"

Confused the blunette looks at her, "Uh, yeah?"

The blonde opens her mouth, only to snap it closed. Sighing heavily she pulls something out of her bag and holds it out to her, "Here. Eat this. It's a high fiber energy bar, 100% natural ingredients."

Taking it she tries to read the label, "What's in it?"

"Peanuts, honey, oats, a little bit of wheat grain and some kind of dried berries."

Nodding she opens the package and eats whatever it was. It was surprisingly good, "This isn't that bad."

"Of course it's not! I only have the best."

Marinette can hear people talking around them but she pays them no mind, the bar was really good and if she got to eat lunch at the same time, she might have enough energy to get through the rest of the day.

She hears Chloe talking behind her as she gets a tray of food. It looked particularly good today and she couldn't wait to dig in. She easily finds Nathan and sits with him, eating quietly as the noise picks up in the room.

Chloe suddenly leans into her line of sight, "Do you want to talk to any of these losers Marinette?"

Confused she shakes her head, "I don't really want to talk to anyone. Sorry."

The blonde moves away as quickly as she came, deciding that as long as the other leaves her alone it doesn't matter. She takes a bite of her apple and hardly flinches when something lightly hits her in the back of the head.

The room seems to freeze, senses peaked, she turns around to look behind her. What she sees has her super confused. Lyla stands in front of her class, Chloe the only thing keeping them from being right behind the blunette, shocked faces all around the make her wary.

"What?"

Alya bridges the gap between them, "Are you ok? How does your head feel? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Even more confused, Marinette leans away from the darker girl, "Um, I'm fine. I'm just eating."

A bewildered look replaces the concerned one, "You didn't feel anything hit you in the head?"

She shakes her head, "Not really, it was more like a light tap why?"

"A light tap?!" The shout in her face makes her flinch, "You just got hit with an elbow and it was a light tap?!"

Even more confused she touches the back of her head to check for damage, finding nothing she shrugs, "Yup. Light tap."

She begins eating once more while the brunette makes wild gestures next to her. Thinking about it, Marinette tries to figure out if it was the miraculous or her normal clumsiness that made it so she didn't feel the pain. Maybe she was that tired.

By the end of the day the blunette is completely ready to crash in bed at home. She didn't want to go on patrol yet and if she could just nap for awhile instead that would be best.

Chloe thwarts her effort to make a mad dash for her house with a hand on her shoulder, "I'm walk you."

Marinette nods her head, it was best to let Chloe do whatever she wanted. Made it easier to go home.

Their walk is short and they don't talk, but Chloe goes as far as the bakeries back door before saying goodbye and reminding her to rest for as long as possible. When the blonde leaves, Marinette has this feeling she forgot something but shrugs it off as her head hits the couch pillows.

She won't remember when she fell asleep on the couch later that night when all of the lights are out and the sky is dark.


	30. Unhelpful assistance

"Tuesday, day 23. I've been fighting with Queen Bee, or I mean, I've been fighting the Akuma with Queen Bee, not- anyway. I don't really trust the others right now for personal reasons but I figured we could talk about it later. Um… yeah that's all I got. Bye."

Marinette takes the phone from her ear and stuffs it into her purse before walking down stairs. She says goodbye to her parents before leaving for school, their busy day at the bakery having already started.

She's only mildly surprised when she's stopped by the blonde heroine before she even makes it past the staircase.

"Oh good. You're actually awake and looking human. We need to talk."

Marinette heaves a sigh, "Chloe, I don't really have time for this."

Said teen blocks her way when she tries to sidestep, "No, I will not have a repeat of the disaster that happened on Friday. You're coming with me and we are going to talk."

Chloe grabs her wrist and drags her away from the school population. Once she seems to be satisfied, she lets the blunette go and turns to her sharply, "Ok, you better be listening now because this is really important!"

Marinette nods uncertaintly, "I'm listening Chloe, I have been since you walked in front of me."

The blonde tears her head and holds up a hand, her signature attitude ready for her to use, but as soon as she opens her mouth everything stops. Her hand freezes and her eyes widen, her posture going rigid before slowly falling. Her hands ball into fists at her sides, light blue eyes darting this way and that as a look of confusion passes over her face.

"I…"

Surprised and worried by the development, Marinette starts to ask her if she's ok before being interrupted.

"I'm sorry."

They stare at each other as Chloe seems to be thinking over what to say next, "I… haven't been… the best… but I'm sorry."

Before the blunette can get a word in, Chloe is darting away from her, walking as fast as her legs can carry her up the stairs and past Sabrina into the school building.

Realization dawns on Marinette as she stands there, that must have been Chloe's attempt at taking her advice, well Ladybugs advice, but still. Kick starting her own feet she runs clumsily up the stairs, sliding past everyone in her way as she chases after the yellow figure heading towards their class.

"C-Chloe! Wait!"

Sabrina turns to look in her direction before tapping the girl next to her's shoulder. In response the girl keeps moving, not bothering to look back.

Marinette lets put a frustrated huff and keeps running. By the time she finally reaches them, the blondes already opened the door.

"Chloe, Wait!"

"What Marinette? What could be so important that you keep yelling at me?" Her hair whips behind her as her head snaps in her direction, her eyes glassy like ice.

Panic makes her stumble over her words, "I… why were you apologizing?"

Chloe's eyes look past her and around as if avoiding answering, finally she places a hand on her hip, the other keeping the door open, "You're really going to make me say it a second time?"

Marinette cups her hands in front of her while looking down, "N-no. Yes? I just… don't understand?"

The blonde looks into the room before leveling her with a hard stare, "Fine. I'm sorry. I've been a jerk. I was rude. I've hurt you and it's utterly ridiculous that I keep doing it when I have no good reason to be treating you that way. Happy?"

Sabrina's mouth drops open in shock as she stares at Chloe, and Marinette can't say that her face doesn't match. With her words she walks into the room like the model she thinks she is, stopping at the last second to hold it open.

"Are you going to stand there and let flies into your mouth or are you going to come in?"

The two girls snap their mouths shut and walk into the room behind the blonde, quick to move out of her way when she keeps moving. Seeming to have taken a dive off the deep end, the blonde then walks confidently up where Alya usually sits and plants her butt firmly in the seat.

In the back, Alix makes some kind of remark about the end of the world when the blonde then says, "Well, are you going to sit or not?"

Sabrina is quick to move, sliding in next to Chloe. The blonde rolls her eyes and moves closer to her before looking at Marinette, "Well?"

Taking the hint, the blunette walks up the stairs and sits on her other side. It's a little awkward since they don't talk and Marinette can't understand what she's thinking until Alya walks into the room laughing at something Lyla had said. When their eyes meet it clicks in the heroines head exactly what Chloe was trying to do.

It was a power move.

And she was now stuck in the middle of it.


	31. Assert Dominance

Marinette silently groans as the girls have a stare off. Of course they were doing this, what had she expected Chloe to do? The girls idea of helping was asserting her dominance over everything even if it didn't work.

Mind working overtime to figure out a way to get out of the current situation, she doesn't take into account that Alya would turn to her first.

"And what, exactly, are you doing in my seat?"

Words leave her in that moment. Abandoning her much like they did when Adrien was around, but for the first time in her life, it isn't Alya who comes to her rescue.

Chloe starts examining her nails, "She's sitting in her seat. Isn't that obvious?"

Alya's face twists into anger, "And what are you doing there? Last I checked, that wasn't your seat."

Lila places a hand on the brunettes shoulder, "It's alright Alya. If they want to trade seats with us for a day we can sit in the front row!"

Her sickeningly sweet smile makes Marinette sick. How can someone act like nothing was wrong when they are using mental manipulation to get what they want?

Chloe turns up her nose as the girls walk past them to the front row seats. Alya's anger settling down to a low simmer when she finally sits down.

Marinette has the passing thought that if Alya keeps being angry she might turn into an Akuma but she tries hard to keep that thought away. Maybe, just maybe, no one will get mad enough to become akumatized today.

Nino's furrowed brow and deep frown pop into her vision with surprising speed, "I didn't think you would take Chloe's side on anything. Let alone over a friend." And just like that he's gone.

Shame digs deep into her stomach, making her want to throw up. Was that really what they thought? That she was siding against them in some kind of war? After everything Lila did to her, all of the lies she spits out, and after all the time she has spent trying to make her friends happy?

The bell rings as her thoughts spiral down a similar path. Constant negativity making her eyes water slightly. Just as the teacher walks in, the heroine lurches from her sitting position to basically run up the stairs and to her spot at the back of class. She knows everyone is watching, she can hear Chloe's confused voice trying to call her back, but she's just not in the mood for an emotional roller coaster.

Class passes in a blur, her teacher trying her best to get Marinette to participate in whatever small way she can and while the teen greatly appreciates it, she just doesn't feel up to it.

By the time lunch has rolled around, Marinette is ready to do anything as long as it's not deal with the reality that has become her life.

"Tikki, can I please just transform and wait for an akuma attack? With it being Monday, it's bound to happen." Blue eyes fall to the library floor.

The small Kwami pops out of her bag with a frown, "You can't seriously be wishing for someone to be akumatized, come on Marinette, it can't really be all that bad here! I'm sure something good is bound to happen if you just look on the bright side!"

The teen sighs, "I'm tired of always looking on the bright side. I would like to just sit and exist without being pestered for a few minutes but with Chloe's version of helping and Lila threatening me at every corner, how am I supposed to come up with a plan to save Adr-... uh, save the cat?"

Tikki floats to her face with a soft smile, "Marinette. I believe that you have the power and strength to get everything done that you need to. If you want to save your partner, then you will find a way to do it. Just as you have found a way to defeat every Akuma that has come your way no matter what's happened. If you want to get your friends back from Lila, then I think you can. If you want to become friends with Chloe, you can do that too." She nuzzles against her cheek, "If you want a break for a while, I won't stop you, but please remember that every action has a reaction and I don't want you to get into trouble for skipping class."

Marinette lets her hand rest over the Kwami in their closest version of a hug, "You're right, like always." she lets go and holds the small Kwami in her hands, "Ok. I'll stick around for the rest of school. After classes are over though, I kind of want to get away from everyone. Will that be ok with you?"

"As long as you keep your phone on and keep an eye on the news, I think that's a great idea."

"Thank you, Tikki."

"Of course, Marinette." She gives a deep bow before disappearing back into her bag.

Marinette faces her day with a little more hope and the smallest of smiles plastered on her face.


	32. Smooth waters

Ladybug sighs as she lands on top of the building closest to her destination. It had come to her just before classes ended, the perfect way to escape everyone while still being nearby.

Changing back, she sneaks out of her hiding spot over to the man selling tickets and smiles at him.

"Hello, um, I would like to buy a ticket for a boat ride?"

The man nods his head and fidgets behind the counter for a moment, "That will be $6.50. Ma'am, will that be all for you?"

She holds out the money, "Yes. That's it."

He takes it and with a flourish, presents her ticket.

Getting a little excited, she quickly hops down the steps towards where the boats are and waits for a young woman to approach her, "And how are you this fine evening?"

She answers her honestly, "I'm hoping to do better after the ride."

She gives Marinette a sideways glance as she stamps her ticket, before guiding her to a boat, "Ah, looking to get away for a little while?"

"Something like that."

The young woman helps her into one of the many seats before moving to the front of the boat, "Then I guess we shouldn't wait a moment longer." With a mighty push, they drift away from the dock, floating lazily down the river, "Is there anything in particular the lady wishes?"

Marinette grimaces before looking around, "Is it possible to stay more in the middle? I… I don't really want to deal with people right now."

The young woman nods in understanding before guiding them to the middle of the river, "If you would like to talk about it, I'm all ears. Otherwise, please enjoy the ride."

The blue haired girl nods, settling into her spot before pulling out a sketchbook, "Um, actually, if you don't mind. Can I draw you?"

The young woman looks back at her, "Like a portrait?"

"Sort of," She turns her book slightly, "I draw inspiration from around me to make designs and I wanted to know if it was ok to use you as a reference?"

The young woman, or now that she's paying attention, teen, nods her head with a blush, "I mean, I don't see why not. I probably should have dressed better if that's the case."

Glancing at her outfit, Marinette notices that the teen went more for a sailor vibe, white pants that went all the way up to her stomach and a crop top with blue and white stripes, "I think your outfit is fitting!"

The teen smiles, the blush still in place, "Thanks. Usually tourists like the Frenchy sailor feel and I guess this fits the bill. If I had a beret and a mustache I would probably fit the stereotype better but most don't see girls rowing boats."

Marinette giggles, "You know tourists. Always listening to those stereotypes."

The girl throws a hand out, "Right?! Oh! Sorry, you wanted to draw. I'll leave you alone now."

Giving her a reassuring smile, she looks down to her page, "I'm happy to see someone enjoying my company for once."

A moment of awkward silence passes before the teen is leaning down to talk a little quieter, "Hey, I know it's not really my business but… is someone hurting you?"

Looking up, the blue haired girl takes note of the others features, she's a little lighter than Alya, freckles dotting her face. Her hair is a nice brown-ish blonde, sunbleached she thinks, and eyes the shade of dirt, "I'm…" She heaves a sigh, "It's not a boyfriend or family if that's what you're thinking."

The girl nods, turning forward to adjust their path before turning back around, "Bullies at school then?"

Marinette nods, "Yeah."

The teen seems to contemplate something before sitting down at the front of the boat, "My names Nicole. Short for Nicolette, what's yours?"

"Oh! My names Marinette." She holds out her hand.

"Nice to meet you! You know if you ever want another ride, just let me know! I can get you a ticket for free anytime." They shake hands.

Marinette shakes her head, "I couldn't ask you to do that, you need the money don't you?"

Nicole waves a hand, "I was in the same situation once. I actually have this job because of it. Found it easier to deal with the world by being far away from it. Honest, just say the word and I can get you on for free."

Marinette considers the others words and nods, "Alright, if you're sure."

"I'm positive!" The teen jumps back up to her spot at the front of the boat and guides them through the water.

Smiling at her kindness, the blunette turns her attention to the blank pages in her book and starts sketching to her heart's content. Thinking of casual wear, formal, hats, winter clothing, anything her mind can come up with is placed into the book. Details of what material to use, length for someone her size, children's outfits, and accessories quick to follow.

By the time the ride is over, she's so lost in her book it takes Nicole saying her name to get her out of her revere, "Marinette?"

Looking up, she almost throws her book into the water, but another hand grabs it before it gets too far, "Wow, there. Can't lose all that hard work can we?"

Staring in awe she takes her book back with a grateful bow, "How did you do that?"

The teen shrugs, "You'd be surprised at how many people lose their stuff off of a boat. It's gotten me quite a few tips for catching some poor guys glasses or a woman's phone from the watery depths."

"That's so cool!" Marinette jumps out of the boat, holding her book as tightly as possible.

"Consider it fast reflexes. Anyway, I hope the rest of your day goes well and if you ever need somewhere to run, I got you covered."

Marinette bows again, "Thank you Nicole. I really appreciate the ride."

The teen waves her off with a fond, if not knowing smile on her face. Walking quickly, Marinette exits the dock area and surveys where she had been let off. She's only slightly surprised when she recognizes it as the last point on the boat ride, closest to the Eiffel Tower. Where she can just make out an Akuma making their way to the top of it.

"Hmm, back to work then." With a smile, she runs to find a hiding spot to transform.


	33. The biggest mistake

Minor trigger warning for this chapter, Mari has a panic attack.

* * *

Marinette breathes deeply. Today was the day she was going to finish her plan to save Adrien. Sitting down at her desk with Tikki resting on a small doll chair she had next to her computer.

Her goal was simple, yet very complex. She had to find a way to take the Miraculous from Hawkmoth and defeat him. Originally, her plan was to defeat Hawkmoth and send him to jail, but he was a gazillionaire! The chances of him actually staying in jail were low because of his status, so she would need to find some way to work around that. The only thing that made sense was taking away his Miraculous and hiding them all away.

The thought made her sad because if she went through with this, it would mean saying goodbye to Tikki forever.

Rolling her pen in her fingers, Marinette banishes the thought. They will cross that bridge when they get there. Lifting it once more she writes down everything she knows about Hawkmoth and his hideout. She maps what she can remember of the room Adrien is being kept in, what it looked like and how to get into it, etc.

Once she finishes with that, she writes down everything her team can do. Deep down she is still upset with them, but in order for them to win, they had to work together like Ladybug has no idea what's happening in Marinette's life.

If she was confident enough in her own abilities, she could sneak in and steal the Miraculous without alerting Hawkmoth, but she had never seen his brooch on him. Only when he's using it. So, their only course of action was to attack the next time an Akuma was created. Based on past experience and what she knows of her own powers, Hawkmoth would need to stay in his transformation while the Akuma was active.

Silently, she begs to the miraculous that the next Akuma won't attack anyone specifically and just be a town destroyer, as bad as that is. Those were harder to fight because they had to protect everything instead of a single person, but if this plan worked it wouldn't matter.

"Marinette?"

Swiveling in her chair, said teen glances at her covered trap door, hoping her mom didn't try to open it, "Yeah?"

"Just checking up on you dear! Do you need anything while I'm up here?"

She sighs in relief, "No! I'm good, thank you mom!"

"Alright, come and get us if you need something! I'm going to lock the front door today!"

"Ok, thank you!"

Turning back to her work, she contemplated moving the heavy boxes she stacked on the door to keep it closed. After the scare with Alya a while ago, she didn't want anyone barging in while she was writing up her plans. Shrugging it off, she goes back to her plans.

Rena was getting better at her illusions. Since it largely relied on her imagination, she had been reading fantasy novels and watching action cartoons to help give her ideas. Carapace has recently been focusing on his shield applications, watching and reading with Rena to help give him ideas while also learning to focus better, since his power relies on that. Bee, surprisingly enough, had taken up a personal martial arts trainer. She wasn't very good but her Miraculous power relied on close combat and a very short handed weapon. No one knew about it. Not-Chat was a different case all together. He wasn't as agile as Chat and he didn't have a lot of ideas. His distractions only worked because the Akuma's were usually after his Miraculous and he only didn't get caught because he was a good runner. Something about swimming lessons helping.

Marinette heaves a heavy sigh as she thinks. Master Fu had only been sort of helpful because he either spoke in riddles or didn't tell her anything at all. Plus, their last conversation had done nothing but give her anxiety.

She recalls sitting at his small floor table, his face intense as he started speaking with her, "Marinette," he was pouring her a cup of tea while they sat, "I have something I need to tell you, but I need you to remain calm."

She had nodded and started drinking.

"Soon, when I finally meet this Carapace. I will be giving over my duties as Miraculous guardian to him."

She choked a little bit he continued to speak.

"I will also be leaving the decision of what happens to the Miraculous to its rightful owner."

She finally cleared her throat enough to wheeze out a, "Who?"

"You."

The cup dropped from her hands, luckily it only landed on the table, spilling its contents over the wood.

"WHAT?!"

Tikki had floated into view, "Marinette, as Ladybug, the box technically belongs to you. So all of the Miraculous inside are yours. The guardian is just supposed to watch and protect the box while you can't."

Said girl flailed her arms around, "Wow wow wow, wait! I can't be in charge of the Miraculous! I'm barely able to keep Tikki safe!"

He nodded, "That is why there is a protector."

The rest of the conversation eludes her, that information had been very distracting and she wasn't sure she could handle thinking about it!

Back in the present once more, Tikki floats up from the chair she was sitting in, "Marinette? Are you ok?"

Glancing at the red Kwami she frowns, "Yeah, just distracted."

"Do you need any help?"

A shake, "No. I just need to focus."

"Alright." Tikki sits back in her spot.

Looking to her paper once more, she thinks up a few different plans and how they could go wrong. By the time her alarm goes off to remind her about dinner, she has at least four different plans and lists of their pros/cons.

"Let's go get something to eat."

Tikki eagerly flies into her bag, obvious hunger showing in her excitement. It takes a few minutes but eventually, she gets all the boxes moved and is in the kitchen.

Marinette looks around to check for her parents, "Mom, dad?"

When it's quiet, she opens her bag, "Looks like their still in the bakery. You can come out."

The Kwami slips out of her bag and flies over to the plate of sugary desserts on the counter, left overs or defects from earlier in the day.

The bluenette is about to open the fridge when a knock on the door catches her attention. Walking over to it, she leaves Tikki to disappear on her own before opening it.

"Hello?"

To say her spirits dropped would be an understatement, but it was greatly overshadowed by the uncomfortable feeling growing in her gut at what she was seeing. Just outside her own front door was Lila Rossi, a bag of sweets in one hand, a phone in the other, while being escorted by her Father.

"Oh hi Marinette! It's so good to see you! I was so worried you were mad at me when you didn't even stop to say hi to your bestest friend in the world."

Marinette doesn't think. Her mind a blank slate as she slams the door shut in the other girls face, and subsequently her fathers, while locking it. Then on a whim, she grabs the closest and heaviest thing she can carry, the armchair, and barricades the door.

Only when she is finished does she hear the shouting and knocking on the front door.

Suddenly no longer hungry, Marinette runs up to her room and slams the trap door closed, moving all of the boxes on it as well before climbing up to sit on her bed, crawling into the corner and covering her head with her arms.

She can't hear the banging and shouting from here, the distance was too far and with her windows closed, they couldn't yell up from outside either. The perfectly isolated little corner she needed.

She feels Tikki slide into a spot near her neck and muzzle her, the Kwami's form of comfort doing wonders for her frayed nerves. Her mind slowly gathering together once more, and with it the dawning horror.

"I just locked my parents out of their own house."

Tikki cuddles closer, "Lila was at your door."

"I barricaded the door."

A gentle touch to her cheek, "You panicked and were doing your best to protect your home."

"My parents are going to kill me."

A small shift, "Your parents would understand if you told them what was happening at school."

"They haven't before."

"You haven't tried."

"I'm going to be arrested."

"You didn't do anything to warrant an arrest."

When nothing else leaves her mouth, the Kwami forced her to look up, "Marinette. It's ok, I'm positive if you just talk to your parents about what just happened, it will be fine. Lila will leave when she figures out she can't get to you or your parents send her home to try and get in. Just take a minute to calm down, then we can go down stairs and try again."

Marinette nods, "Ok. Yeah. Good idea."

A ringing interrupts them and without much thought, Marinette answers is, "Hello?"

A deep but silky voice speaks on the other end, "Ms. Dupain-Cheng?"

"Yeah, that's me. Who is this?"

"No one you need to worry about." And then the call ends.

It's only Tikki's look of horror that has her looking down at the phone in her hand.

The slick black surface of the flip phone and lack of design confuse her for a moment before she drops it like it burned her. That was her emergency contact phone that only Adrien used. The one they used for their super hero work.

The one she just gave away her identity on.


	34. No longer safe

Trigger warning: Panic attack, mention of drowning

* * *

The panic sets in quickly, her thoughts spiraling as she thinks about what she had just done. The phone sitting innocently where it had landed being her only focus.

Hawkmoth knew who she was. Hawkmoth knew that she was Ladybug and could ruin her life. He could attack her family, he would attack her friends. He would sneak into her house and steal the miraculous while she was asleep. He could target her out of costume and she would have no way to defend herself. Her family could die because of her. He knew who she was just based on a phone call. Does that mean he had known for a while? How did he get her number? Wait, that had been Chat's phone, right? Did he have the other phone? Does he know Adrien is Chat Noir?

Questions race through her mind at breakneck speed. Her breathing becoming faster as she tries to focus on the problem, should she leave Paris? Where would she go? Would he follow her? She can't leave her family. Maybe she could become a monk on the top of a mountain in China or become a nun in America. No, that wouldn't work.

The phone blurs as tears well up in her eyes, hugging her arms close she opens her mouth to try and get air in better. She thinks someone is talking to her, but it doesn't matter if Hawkmoth comes after her. The man was a billionaire he could have her killed and no one would ever know. Maybe he would wait until their next meeting and then threaten her whole family. Maybe he would just kill them to break her? What would she do if her family died because of her?

Marionettes chest burns, her breathing coming faster as she curls in on herself. What was she going to do?

A gentle touch to her cheek makes her reel back in fear. He was already here! He's in her room and he's trying to take Tikki away from her she can't let him! SHE WON'T LET HIM TAKE HER.

Her head makes contact with the wall, momentarily dazing her, but it does nothing to stop her words, "Tikki! Spots on!"

In a rush of warmth and magic, she's clad in her hero costume. At least this way he can't grab the Kwami. She reaches for the latch on her ceiling and shoves as hard as she can, vision blurred as she trips out of it and onto the roof. Her head is heavy, sound coming in muffled as she throws her Yo-yo out and swings off. Not caring where she's going but intent on getting away. Her thoughts narrowed down to one word.

RUN.

She jumps and swings, tripping over rooftops and diving down alleyways to try and avoid getting caught by the phantoms chasing her. If she could just get somewhere safe then she could think. But nowhere was safe, he wasn't safe, her house wasn't safe, her school, friends, heck all of Paris wasn't safe. She had doomed them all because she answered some stupid phone call.

Her feet trip over the ledge of a bank, dunking her into the river in a shock of cold water and darkness. It takes her a lung full of water and a few strokes of her arms before she realizes she's sinking. With a desperate grasp at the surface, she climbs out of the water when her hand hits the solid rocks she has just fallen off of.

Coughing hard to expel the water out of her lungs, he sits on the edge, her limbs weak and body aching. It takes a long time, almost too long before she can breath semi-regularly, though still labored from the struggle.

With a huff, she clears the water from her eyes as best she can and takes in her surroundings. It was dark out, not quite night but late enough for there to be no pedestrians. Glancing at the nearby bridge, she shuffles over to it on her weak legs before slumping on the ledge underneath. It wasn't the perfect hiding place but it was better than nothing.

All at once her emotions are back on her, but this time all she can do is sob. She buries her head in her arms and cries for all it's worth, the frustration at her friends, the stress of being Ladybug, Adrien, her identity, anything she can think of she cries about.

Eventually, she mutters an incoherent 'spots off' in between sobs and barely registers the Kwami snuggling into her neck as she cries.

She doesn't look up until an almost familiar soft voice whispers, "Whoa, hey, why are you hiding under the bridge?"

Teary eyed and exhausted, the blunette turns her head enough to see a familiar head of a light sun bleached brown hair and dirt eyes.

The teens eyes widen, "Blue eyes? What…" Nicole pauses, taking in as much as she can before approaching slowly, "Is it ok if I sit with you?

Confused by the question but wanting the company, Marinette nods her consent.

The teen crouches down, inching along the ledge before sitting just within arms reach, she's quiet for a moment before speaking, "You uh… wanna talk about it?"

Rubbing her eyes to try and get rid of the tears but failing when more slip past, she gives up and slumps, "I-I can't."

The teen nods, "That's ok, you don't have to.' She bites her lip, "Is… is there anything I can do? I have a blanket if you're cold."

Marinette buries her head in her arms with a shrug, the tears nonstop but the hiccuping less so. Warmth wraps around her shoulders a moment later and she's grateful.

"I… I don't want to pry, but I just need to know." Her voice wavers for a second as Nicole breathes, "Did… did you jump in on purpose?"

Marinette shakes her head, "It- it was an accident." He breathes in sharp, causing a hiccuping sound to echo around them.

A heavy sigh leaves her lips, "Oh, that's. Better than what I was thinking but." She pauses, "Let's just leave it at that."

The bluenette turns to look at the teenager it's a confused tilt to her head, "What did you think I was doing?" Her voice is a little clearer now.

The other blushes but it's difficult to see in the low lighting, "I… I thought you were uh… trying to get away from everything, forever."

Realization dawns on her, "Oh. No, sorry. I was just running away, not trying to drown or anything. I'm sorry I scared you."

Nicole waves a hand, "No need to be sorry! I was just super concerned. I'm glad it was just a misunderstanding."

They lapse into silence as they try and think about what to say.

The teen turns to her, "Can I ask you something? You don't have to tell me but…"

Marinette nods, she knew what was coming.

"Do you need somewhere to stay the night?"

Marinette did not know what was coming, "Huh?"

The other shrugs, "Well, you said you were running. It's getting really late and, I mean, I can also walk you home if that's a safer place to be?"

The reason Mari-Ladybug, had been running in the first place comes back to her. How she had run away from home because of Hawkmoth.

"I… are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

Brown eyes widen, "Of course not! As long as you're safe and comfortable with it."

She considers it, on one hand, she could be putting this very helpful civilian in danger, but on the other… Hawkmoth had no idea about Nicole, she was someone completely detached from both of her lives…

"If you wouldn't mind. I don't really feel safe going home tonight."

Something angry flits through Nicole's eyes but it washes away a moment later to worry, "Of course. I don't live too far from here so I usually walk. Are you up for that?"

Marinette stands on wobbly legs but with the help of the wall and the much taller teen, she doesn't slip, "Yeah, I can walk."

They walk slowly make their way along the ledge, it's wide enough for them to walk one at a time, but that doesn't seem to stop Nicole from holding her hand all the way back. Once their on safer ground a breeze brushes past the bluenette, a shiver racking her frame.

"You going to be ok?"

Marinette's heart warms at the concern in the others voice, it was nice knowing someone cared, "I should be fine."

"Alright, let me know if you get any colder ok?"

With a nod, they make their way up the steps and onto the bridge. True to the teens words, they arrive at an apartment not even five minutes away.

Nicole turns to her at the door, "My roommates might be awake, so you should stay behind me until I can calm them down."

Confused, Marinette nods. She watches with stunned amazement when, not even a moment after the door is unlocked, a whirlwind of color comes crashing out of the door, a high pitched laugh assaulting her ears.

"NICOLETTE! YOU MADE IT HOME! I MADE PANCAKE HAMBURGERS!" Then just as quickly the whirlwind is gone back into the house.

Nicole heaves a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry. She's uh… super hyper?"

Speechless, Marinette follows the teen into the house. Instantly, her senses are bombarded by an array of colors, everything from black to neon orange splashes around the house. The scent of sweets and something she doesn't recognize fills her nose but is surprisingly not unpleasant.

A voice comes in from the kitchen, this one deeper than she was ready for but much softer, "Shoes Nicole."

The teen stops with a huff before sliding her shoes off, "Yeah, yeah." Then she turns to Marinette, "Sorry to ask but would you mind taking off your…" Panic crosses her face, "Oh my gosh, why didn't you tell me you weren't wearing shoes?"

A little surprised she looks down to find that she had indeed forgotten to put on shoes amongst all of the panic of getting out of her house, "I just noticed myself."

The teen huffs something out in, she thinks it's Russian? Before leading her to the bathroom, the deeper voice comes back confused, "Did you just use the word Butterfly as a curse word?"

Pulling out a few things, Marinette's arms are soon full of towels and a set of clothes, seemingly pulled from thin air, "Here, warm up in the shower. I'll make sure you have something to eat, do you have any food allergies?"

Mutely, the bluenette shakes her head. Nicole smiles before pointing to the shower, "We actually have to instructions for everything on the wall but if you have any questions don't be afraid to call out ok?" And with that she's alone.

Tikki floats into her line of vision, "That was something I've never seen before."

Surprised, Marinette looks to the Kwami, "Tikki? Where were you hiding?"

The Kwami gives her a sad smile, "When Nicole showed up I hid by your side, then in the blanket."

"Oh." She takes a moment to process all that had happened before exhaustion halts the process, "I think, I'm just going to stop thinking for a while."

Tikki nods, "That's ok. I'll make sure you don't fall asleep in the shower."

"Thanks." With that, she gets started on getting warm.


End file.
